Jewelry display apparatus

ABSTRACT

The present invention is embodied in a jewelry display apparatus having a jewelry holder with means for grasping a circular object from at least two points along an interior circumferential wall and mechanically connected by an articulation device to a base. The jewelry display base includes an object having a mount for supporting a jewelry holder stand on a planar surface and at least one light source embedded in the object for directing light out away from the surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE(S) TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 60/719,728 filed on Sep. 22, 2005 and U.S. Provisional ApplicationSer. No. 60/721,931 filed on Sep. 29, 2005, each of which isincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field Of The Invention

This invention relates generally to methods and devices for holdingjewelry, and, more particularly, to improved methods and devices forholding and displaying jewelry.

2. Description Of The Related Art

The need to display a piece of jewelry to a potential customer relatesto an interaction between individuals that may be as old as civilizationitself. Today, it is not uncommon to display rings to customers on feltor cloth covered boards or on a salesperson's hand. Such presentationsrequire difficult manipulation by the salesperson to show the client allof the fine points of jewelry being presented. An efficient manipulationof the “rings” being presented is a problem faced by all personsconducting counter top sales of expensive and high quality jewelry.

Moreover, in the past loops or microscopes have been used by jewelers astools of the trade to build consumer confidence in the jewelry that theypurchase. Such devices give the retail jeweler the opportunity todiscuss the jewelry and its characteristics so the customer can seethese characteristics and make an informed purchase. By showing acustomer flaws in a particular piece of jewelry, the jeweler maydemonstrate why similar pieces are different, uniquely identifiable andhave different assessed values. This “informed consumer” approach canincrease sales, profits and subsequent purchases by the consumer andavoid misunderstandings. Despite the effectiveness of such devices, theyhave their shortcomings. For example, jewelers' loops, referring aparticular type or magnifying glasses, must be held by the user and,thus, are unsteady and difficult for an untrained user to effectivelyutilize or to reference an element being presented by the salesperson.Similarly, microscopes are expensive and difficult to use for showingthe customer unique and specific characteristics of each item examinedand can also be difficult to use for showing the customer unique andspecific characteristics of each item examined and can also be difficultto use for each of the parties. In addition, both of these devices haveno simple means for displaying jewelry to the customer. Accordingly whatare needed are devices and methods for holding and displaying the keyfeatures of the offered jewelry in an easy to use in an exacting andcost effective manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is embodied in a jewelry display apparatus havinga jewelry holder with means for grasping a circular object from at leasttwo points along an interior circumferential wall and mechanicallyconnected by an articulation device to a base.

In one embodiment, the jewelry holder includes a generally uniform stripof sheet steel arranged into a central portion, a first end portion anda second end portion with free ends of said first and second endportions having tension to maintain the free ends in a spaced apartrelation diverging away from each other. The first and second free endportions include ring contact regions near said free ends, wherein acircular object is held between the contact regions which when placedagainst the circular object to direct tension outwardly away from theobject.

In another embodiment, the jewelry holder includes a handle and at leasttwo supports, each having elongated bodies with first ends mechanicallyconnected to the handle. The second ends are in spaced apart relationsuch that the bodies diverge out and away from each other from the firstends relative to the second ends. The second ends include contactregions to contact an interior wall of a ring. Tensioning means islocated between the supports for holding the ring by the contact regionswhile allowing the ring to be held at a plurality of angles relative toa horizontal plane.

In one embodiment, the jewelry display base includes an object having amount for supporting a jewelry holder stand on a planar surface and atleast one light source embedded in the object for directing light outaway from the surface.

In another embodiment, the base includes a jewelry box having aremovable cover wherein said cover includes said mount and said lightsource.

In yet another embodiment, the mount includes one of a plurality ofgrommets and the jewelry holder stand includes a plurality of posts thatin turn will allow their placement into a variety of differently sized,supporting post holes represented by said plurality of grommets. Thesegrommets may further have different light transmissive properties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description of theinvention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of a jewelry display assembly ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cut away side view of a jewelry display case of the jewelrydisplay assembly taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the jewelry display case of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cut away side view of the jewelry display case taken alongline 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a jewelry holder of the jewelry displayassembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a jewelry holder of the jewelry displayassembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternate configuration of thejewelry holder of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a jewelrydisplay assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the drawings for purposes of illustration, a jewelrydisplay assembly 20 according to the present invention includes aplurality of jewelry holders 22, 24 and 26, each supported by a stand 28via a manipulation arm 30 having a handle 32. An exemplary assortment ofjewelry holders includes a flat nosed alligator clip 22 for holdingrings and slotted, flat nosed alligator clip 24 for holding the cornersof finished gem stones in the slots. It will be appreciated by thoseskilled in the art that the jewelry holders provided with displayapparatus may include any assortment jewelry display devices such thatthe inventive concepts presented should not be limited by the exemplaryjewelry holders 22 and 24. The stand includes a distal end formed with aremovable post 34 for insertion into the post hole 36 of a base 38(FIGS. 1 and 2).

An improved jewelry holder 26 (FIG. 1), supporting a ring 40 encrustedwith jewels 42, is formed from a strip of sheet steel. The sheet steelis bent into a shape having a generally flat foot or attachment portion44 fitted with a central bore hole for attachment to the arm 30 by ascrew 46 through the hole and threaded into the arm. Ring supports 48and 50, which form the main portion of the holder, extend out from theattachment portion 44 with distal ends 52 and 54 diverging away fromeach other. Each ring support includes a ring contact region 56 and 58,where the supports curve inward toward each other and a lip, where thedistal ends 52 and 54 of the supports flare back out away from eachother. A scratch resistant polymeric coating 60 and 62 covers portionsof the supports 48 and 50 including the lips 52 and 54 and contactregion 56 and 58. Tension along the foot 44 of the holder forces the twosupports 48 and 50 apart and thereby permits rings of varying sizes andweights to be held within by the opposing tension of the supports withinthe contact regions.

Advantageously, the jewelry display assembly includes a jewelry displaycase with a storage box 66 slidingly receiving a cover 68 through atrack formed by respective tongue 70 and groove 72 elements of the cover68 and box 66. The cover 68 includes a post hole 36 to function as abase for the stand supporting one of the jewelry holders 22, 24 and 26.The post hole 36 is preferably reinforced by a grommet 74 inserted inthe cover. The grommet is preferably made from translucent material fortransmitting light out of the cover when activated by a switch 76located near a handle 78 for the cover 68. The handle 78, arranged on anend 80 in the form of a knob is presently preferred, but should not beconsidered limiting to the invention.

The handle, to facilitate sliding of the cover relative to the box, maybe located on the upper surface as well (not shown) or may berepresented by an indentation in the cover (not shown) sufficient to begrasped by the finger of the user. Similarly, the box 66 and cover 68 ispresently constructed from wood; however, any material pleasing andconducive to sale and display of jewelry may be used. Such materials mayvary depending upon the environment the jewelry display apparatus isused in, the types of customers attracted to the store and types andvariety of jewelry sold. In one embodiment the interior of the displaybox is lined with felt (not shown) in which the felt is of a colorcomplementary with box design or a reflective surface for enhancedillumination. The box 66 shape is presently envisioned to berectilinear; however other shapes may be used. The box 66 may further beenhanced with indicia (not shown) in the form of designs andornamentation provided on the outside or inside of the box intended tobe pleasing to the eye or marked with useful information such as ringsize charts or measurements to determine jewelry sizes or other suchinformation to facilitate identification of jewelry characteristics.

With reference to FIGS. 1-2, the cover 68 of the jewelry display box 66includes a number of improvements to enhance the presentation ofjewelry. As discussed earlier, the cover provides illumination deliveredthrough a translucent grommet 74 into which the post portion 34 of thestand 28 is inserted. The lighting serves a number of useful purposessome of which include providing a diffuse light source to enhance thepresentation of jewelry in the holder. Furthermore, the lighting may beused to enhance different characteristics of the jewelry being examined.Additionally, the grommet 74 in some embodiments is interchangeable withgrommets having other translucent properties such as color andpolarizing light to further enhance the delivered lighting effect. Thisis particularly useful when examining gemstones for imperfections anddifferent light characteristics that can make identification of suchimperfections much easier. In another embodiment, multiple grommets 90and 92 nested within each other may be used to enhance the lightingeffect. For example providing two color shades to view the jewelry undercolor transitions or polarized light to view the light when projected indirections that are contrasting or complementary. Also tunnels 94 havingambient air or other material with light transmissive properties may beincluded to provide directed diffused lighting. This arrangement isuseful when it is desired to view the lighting effects when light isdirected at specific surfaces of the gemstones. The light source 96 ispreferably in the form of a light emitting diode (LED) electricallyconnected by a wire to a battery and the switch 76 on the outside of thecover (FIG. 1). The LED may be of any color as suited to desired use ofthe jewelry display apparatus; however, a white light LED is presentlypreferred as it provides the greatest versatility with regard to the useof the interchangeable grommets 74 (FIG. 1) and 90 and 92 (FIG. 2). Thebattery may be of any type suitable for illuminating an LED or may be acapacitor (not shown) that is quick charged from an external source (notshown) or an external power source, if the apparatus is used as anunmanned display. Furthermore, the switch 76 (FIG. 1) may be of anyconventional form including, but not limited to, a slide switch orpush-button switch as illustrated by FIG. 1.

In another embodiment, the LED is interchangeable as well.

In yet another embodiment (FIGS. 3 and 4), the cover 100 is providedwith three post holes 101-103 surrounded by grommets 105-107 similar tothe one post hole configuration in which three LEDs 109-111 provideillumination to gem stones 113-115 through translucent material 116 and118. The LEDs are connected in circuit with the exterior switch 76 (FIG.3) and a battery source 120. The three illumination sources allows forversatility in examination of a single gemstone by allowing fordifferent lighting configurations to be set to enhance differentcharacteristics. Also the light sources may be used with differentgemstones to show off their complementary characteristics such as oneset up for a “yellow diamond”, another for a “pink diamond” and a thirdfor a “white diamond”.

In another embodiment, the one post hole configuration and thethree-post hole configuration are provided on opposite sides of the samecover, where the one post hole illumination is, by way of example, butwithout limitation, configured for diffused ambient lighting and thethree LEDs on the opposite side are configured for gemstone analysis.Thus, cover could merely be removed from the track with the display boxand flipped over to change from box and cover arrangement of FIG. 1 tothe box and cover arrangement of FIG. 3.

With reference to FIGS. 5-6, the improved jewelry holder 26 of thepresent invention when secured on a stand 28 for mounting on a baseprovides for complete articulation of the holder 26 to any positionincluding 360 degree rotation about the axis of the stand 28 as definedby line 130, 360 degree rotation about the axis of the manipulation arm30 as defined by line 132, motion above and below the hinged connectionof the manipulation arm 30 to the stand as defined by lines 134 and 136,and motion along the longitudinal axis of the manipulation arm 30relative to the stand 28 as defined by line 138. To achieve thisflexibility in motion, it should first be understood that jewelry holder26 provides sufficient tension and support to hold a ring or likecylindrical object to permit the many different degrees of motion whilemaintaining the ring in a secure manner.

It has been found through experimentation that a jewelry holder asdescribed supra, but without a polymeric coating, when made from a 0.5cm wide strip of 306 type stainless steel having 0.15 cm thickness, 1 cmwide long foot and 3 cm long supports, provides a relative strength topermit manipulation through all of the degrees of motion described suprawhile supporting a generally 2.5 cm diameter object weighing generallyup to 80 grams. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatsuch capabilities exceed the weights of most rings in which a common,but not inclusive, weight range is 0.5 to 20 grams. It is this abilityto provide the means hold the ring while rotating the jewel holderthrough different positions that presents a new and unique way to viewjewelry. The entire exterior surface of the ring is made available tothe viewer with the need to reposition the contact point between thejewelry and jewelry holder. This presents the viewer with that abilityto view the entire outer circumference of the jewelry without the needto pause and reposition the holder as is required with existingalligator clip type jewelry holders. Thus, the experience of viewing thejewelry may be conducted without disturbing the experience.

Other features, which support the ability to control the position of thejewelry holder 26, include the secure attachment of the jewelry holderto the manipulation arm 30. This is presently accomplished by apolymeric caulk cementing the screw 46 to the jewelry holder 26 andmanipulation arm 30. The manipulation arm 30 moves relative to the stand28 through a bushing within a sleeve 142 that allows uniform motion whena force is applied to the manipulation arm 30 and a screw pivot 144attaching the sleeve 142 to the stand 28. A bushing of the type suitablefor this purpose is a brass or copper bushing. A tension devicemaintains tension between the sleeve and the manipulation arm. A tensiondevice of the type suitable for this purpose is a conventional leafspring (not shown). Removal of the jewelry holder 26 from the stand 28is accomplished by unscrewing the manipulation handle 32 from the arm 30and withdrawing of the arm 30 from the sleeve 142.

In another embodiment, the jewelry holder is powder coated into avariety of colors that may be used to complement or contrast orneutrally display the jewelry, such colors may include, but are notlimited to, metallic coatings such as chrome, gold, silver and brushedsteel, any variations of powder coatings such as black, white or otherprimary colors, flesh tone colors, glossy coatings and ultravioletcoatings. Furthermore a plurality of jewelry holders may be used todepict different viewing environments for the jewelry.

In another embodiment, a cylindrical piece of compressible materialplaced between the supports of the jewelry holder with the rubber andjewelry holder covered by a flesh tone colored stocking (not shown)provides a flesh tone emulating a ring finger to further compare andcontrast different varieties of jewelry allowing the viewer to view thering as it might be seen on the finger of another individual.

In another embodiment (FIG. 7), the stand 28 is fitted with a ball 150and socket 152 joint in which movement within the ball and socket jointis activated/deactivated by a set screw 154 to thereby provideadditional articulation of the jewelry holder radially about the centerof the ball and socket joint as shown by line 156.

With reference to FIG. 8, an alternate display base 160 includes a posthole 162 to support a stand 28 and jewelry holder 26 along with threepost holes 162-164 fitted with grommets 166-168 and overlying an LEDillumination circuit 170 to deliver light illuminating effects in thesame manner as described supra.

Although the invention has been described in terms of exemplaryembodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claimsshould be construed broadly, to include other variants and embodimentsof the invention, which may be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention.

1. A jewelry display apparatus comprising: a jewelry holder havingsupports to grasp a circular object from at least two points along aninterior circumferential wall and hold said object at multiple angles ofview; a base having a storage box and cover; a mechanical articulationdevice connected between said jewelry holder and said base.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein said jewelry holder includes a post toconnect said supports to said articulation device.
 3. The apparatusclaim 1 wherein said supports are made from sheet steel.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 2 wherein said jewelry holder is made from sheetsteel.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said supports include ringcontact regions to contact said interior circumferential wall.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 5 wherein said ring contact region is coated to guardagainst scratching the ring.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein saidring contact region is coated with a polymeric coating.
 8. The apparatusof claim 1 wherein said mechanical articulation device includes a standmovably coupled to said base and a manipulation arm connected to saidjewelry holder and moveably received into said stand.
 9. The apparatusof claim 1 wherein said base includes a location coupling saidmechanical articulation device to said cover.
 10. The apparatus of claim9 wherein said location is a post hole and said mechanical articulationdevice includes a post.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein saidlocation is surrounded by a grommet.
 12. The apparatus of claim 12wherein said grommet is translucent and said cover includes a lightsource under said grommet.
 13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein saidgrommet includes a plurality of translucent grommets nested within eachother.
 14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said light source includesan LED.
 15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said grommets includeboreholes for passing light there through.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15wherein said boreholes are filled with light transmissive materialdifferent than the grommets.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein theboreholes are filled with ambient air.
 18. The apparatus of claim 14wherein the light source includes an electrical connection from said LEDto a power source and a switch disposed on an outside surface of saidcover.
 19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said LED is interchangeablewith a plurality of LEDs.
 20. The apparatus of claim 1 having at leastthree apertures filled with translucent grommets.
 21. The apparatus ofclaim 20 wherein said grommets are interchangeable.
 22. The apparatus ofclaim 20 wherein said cover includes light sources disposed under saidgrommets.
 23. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said light sources areLEDs and said cover further includes a battery and a light switchelectrically connected to said light sources.
 24. The apparatus of claim1 wherein said box includes a recessed storage area.
 25. The apparatusof claim 24 wherein said box includes indicia on the outside of saidbox.
 26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said box and cover are madeof wood.
 27. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said location is a posthole, said location is surrounded by one of a plurality of grommets andsaid mechanical articulation device includes a plurality of posts thatin turn will allow their placement into a variety of differently sized,supporting post holes represented by said plurality of grommets.
 28. Ajewelry holder comprising: a generally uniform strip of sheet steelarranged into a central portion, a first end portion and a second endportion with free ends of said first and second end portions havingtension to maintain said free ends in a spaced apart relation divergingaway from each other; said first and second free end portions includering contact regions near said free ends; wherein a circular object isheld between said contact regions which when placed against saidcircular object to direct tension outwardly away from said object. 29.The holder of claim 28 wherein said contact regions are defined by aportion of said first and second end portions that curve inward towardother and then flare back outward at the free ends to form lips.
 30. Theholder of claim 28 wherein said first and second end portions arepartially coated to resist scratching said circular object.
 31. Theholder of claim 28 wherein portions of said sheet steel are coated witha polymeric coating.
 32. The holder of claim 28 wherein said sheet steelis 306 sheet steel.
 33. The holder of claim 28 wherein said sheet steelhas a thickness of at least 0.15 mm.
 34. The holder of claim 28 whereinsaid sheet steel has sufficient hardness and dimensions to support acircular object having a diameter up to 2.5 cm and a weight of at least20 grams in: a first position where a diameter of said ring lies in ahorizontal plane and said free ends underlie said horizontal plane; asecond position where said diameter of said ring lies in a horizontalplane and said free ends overlie said horizontal plane; and a thirdposition where said diameter lies in a vertical plane; such thatsufficient tension is maintained in each of said positions to hold saidcircular object within said ring contact regions.
 35. The holder ofclaim 34 wherein said circular object weighs up to 80 grams.
 36. Theholder of claim 28 wherein said sheet steel is coated with an appearancealtering material selected from the group consisting of metalliccoatings, colored powder coatings, color glossy coatings and ultraviolet paints.
 37. The holder of claim 28 wherein said central portionis attached to an articulation device.
 38. The holder of claim 28wherein said central portion includes a borehole; and said holderincludes a manipulation arm connected to said central portion byattachment means selected from the group consisting of screws, taperedposts and epoxy.
 39. A jewelry holder comprising: a handle; at least twosupports, each having elongated bodies with first ends mechanicallyconnected to said handle and second ends in spaced apart relation suchthat said bodies diverge out and away from each other from said firstends relative to said second ends; said second ends include contactregions to contact an interior wall of a ring; and tensioning meanslocated between said supports for holding said ring by said contactregions while allowing said ring to be held at a plurality of anglesrelative to a horizontal plane.
 40. The holder of claim 39 wherein saidcontact region is coated with a polymeric coating.
 41. The holder ofclaim 39 wherein the holder is coated with a metallic coating.
 42. Theholder of claim 39 wherein said supports are formed from sheet steel.43. The holder of claim 39 wherein the holder is coated with a colorcoating.
 44. A jewelry display base comprising: an object having a mountfor supporting a jewelry holder stand on a planar surface; at least onelight source embedded in said object for directing light out away fromsaid surface.
 45. The base of claim 44 wherein said object includes ajewelry box having a removable cover wherein said cover includes saidmount and said light source.
 46. The base of claim 45 wherein said coversupports said jewelry holder stand on said planar surface when connectedto said box.
 47. The base of claim 44 wherein said object includes atleast three apertures filled with translucent grommets.
 48. The base ofclaim 47 wherein said grommets are interchangeable.
 49. The base ofclaim 48 wherein said object includes light sources disposed under saidgrommets.
 50. The base of claim 49 wherein said light sources are LEDsand said cover further includes a battery and a light switchelectrically connected to said light sources.